Volunteer Opportunities

• Local host committee - 1-year commitment
  • Responsibilities include working with the hotel and local vendors to plan an opening reception, arrange tours, and publicize the Seminar. Hosts meet with the Standards Chair regularly and provide local support during all aspects of the event. May be asked to assist with designing and printing seminar materials (i.e. name tags), serving as vendor liaison, and storing or moving seminar supplies.
• Standing Chair Committee Members
  • Responsibilities include planning future seminars, working with other GBW committees’ members, i.e. Exhibitions and Newsletter, publicizing the events, and soliciting auction donations.
• Volunteers during planning
  • Responsibilities include planning future seminars, working with other GBW committees’ members, i.e. Exhibitions and Newsletter, publicizing the events, and soliciting auction donations.
• Volunteers during Standards
  • Volunteers are needed to assist with tours, staff registration, stuff packets, assist presenters with setup and cleanup, set up silent and live auctions, and assist treasurer and auctioneer with auction items.
• Volunteers after Standards
  • Volunteers are needed to help with the video library of Standards presentations. Greatest priorities include editing the most recent presentation and  generating transcripts of all presentations.

• Outreach
  • Welcoming new members via email, snail mail, and/or email
  • Represent GBW in new membership recruitment efforts-flyers to art schools and art supply stores
  • Buddies at Standards

• Editorial board members accepted on a rolling basis (4-6 people)
• Commitment varies with the publication cycle. Throughout the year, the average could be less than 1 hour per week for many committee members.
• Editorial board members activities include (and can be tailored to individual interest):
  • Author liaison: coordinating with authors to bring articles and submissions to publication
  • Proofreading and editing
  • Design and creative contributions
  • Administrative responsibilities

• Social Media Team (1-2 people)
• Website Maintenance (1-2 people)
• Standards Presentations recordings
• Listserv moderator
• Formstack administrator

• 2-3 members
• 3 Jurors 

• Contributors (particularly in Conservation/Preservation and Fine Print)
• Copyeditors

The President is the Chief executive office of the Corporation, Chairman of the Board of Directors, general supervisor of the business and affairs of the Corporation and overseer of all orders and resolutions of the Board. The President presides at all meetings of the Board and at the Annual General Meeting, oversees the management of the Corporation, signs contracts for the Corporation, co-ordinates the organization’s activities nationwide and works with all the members of the Board to ensure that Board decisions are carried out.

Each year the President appoints a committee to choose nominees for the Lifetime Achievement Award and the Laura Young Award for Service to the Guild of Book Workers, and presents the nominees to the Board for approval. The President also is responsible for finding candidates for vacancies that may occur on the Board and performs other duties and powers that may be prescribed by the Bylaws or by the Board. The President makes every effort to see that historical materials relating to the Corporation’s presidency are forwarded to the Corporation’s archives in Iowa City.

The Vice-President represents the Guild Chapters on the Executive Board, seeking feedback and coordinating the work of the Chapters. The Vice-President oversees the public relations of the Guild, assembling and coordinating a committee to advertise the activities of the Guild, including the work of the Chapters. The Vice-President will coordinate the committee to judge scholarship entries for the Standards of Excellence Seminar. The Vice-President will offer feedback to the President on Guild activities and business.

The Membership Chair is responsible for coordinating the committee that maintains membership records for the Guild. Duties of the committee include updating records in the membership database, preparing the membership directory, preparing renewal notices, and sending acknowledgements. A member of the committee will prepare updates of the membership for the Board of Directors and Chapter Chairs and for inclusion in the membership directory. The committee will prepare membership lists for the Treasurer and with the Newsletter and Journal editors for mailings. A member of the committee will receive extra newsletters and journals to send to new members as available

The Treasurer shall keep a record of the Guild's finances and shall have authority along with the President to approve bills for payment. The Treasurer shall oversee maintenance of any checking and savings accounts of the Guild and, with the President, have signing authority thereon. The Treasurer shall prepare a national budget at the beginning of each fiscal year, oversee preparation of periodic financial statements during the course of the year, and submit a year-end report on the financial condition of the Guild. The treasurer shall maintain current budgets for each chapter and oversee receipts and disbursements for individual chapters. The Treasurer will oversee the work of the bookkeeper for the Guild, an independent contractor.

The Standards Chair oversees a committee charged with organizing the annual Standards of Excellence Seminar. The committee is mainly comprised of the Local Host (Guild members residing near the venue where the seminar will be held). Other members of the committee include GBW Board members such as the Treasurer. The Standards Chair coordinates the work of the committee in planning and organizing the Standards of Excellence seminar. Duties include: perform final negotiations with the conference hotel/venue and sign contracts; select and invite presenters; coordinate AV needs including videography; coordinate presenter needs (tools and equipment, AV needs, photocopies); organize a GBW fundraiser auction; coordinate finances with the GBW Treasurer; coordinate vendor room and arrangements; get information to GBW members via the Communications and Newsletter Chairs; keep the GBW President informed of all progress. These duties may be shared with the Local Host as necessary. The Standards Chair writes an Annual Report, makes general reports at Board meetings and sees that historical materials relating to the Standards of Excellence Seminar are forwarded to the Corporation’s archives in Iowa City

The Secretary shall attend all meetings of the Board of Directors, the Executive Committee, and the general membership, and shall record all the proceedings at such meetings in a book or books kept for that purpose. The Secretary shall give, or cause to be given, notice of all meetings of the Board of Directors, the Executive Committee, and the general membership, and all other notices required to be given by law or by the Bylaws. The Secretary shall see that all books, reports, statements, certificates and other documents and records required by law to be kept or filed are properly kept or filed, as the case may be. The Secretary shall perform such other duties and have such other powers as from time to time may be prescribed by the Board of Directors or the President.

The Exhibitions Standing Committee Chair is responsible for coordinating a committee that oversees the Guild’s traveling exhibit. Duties of the committee include: determine a theme for the exhibit and number of pieces to be exhibited; produce a budget and loan fees; selection of jurors; find venues nationwide; arrange shipping and insurance for artwork; oversee the production of a catalog, including necessary fundraising; coordinate with the GBW Communications Chair to publicize the exhibit and seek publicity in the general community. The Committee also coordinates with the receiving venues on the arrival of the exhibition pieces. These duties include photography, condition reports and preparation for display and shipping. The Exhibitions Chair writes an Annual Report, prepares a budget, makes general reports at Board meetings and sees that historical materials relating to GBW exhibitions are forwarded to the Corporation’s archives in Iowa City.

The Communications Standing Committee Chair leads and organizes the communication efforts of the Guild of Book Workers, including the GBW website. Duties include: update the Guild website;  set up Standards Registration; post timely information on GBW events; maintain and troubleshoot registration forms for chapters in Formstack; manage the GBW listserv; maintain the GBW Board communications (listserv, website and email forwarding); work with the GBW webpage developer on form and content; manage the board of directors email accounts; troubleshoot any issues members may have with their online account. The Communications Chair also monitors costs and prepares a budget for web services, making sure that the webmaster and services are paid for each year. The chair also manages the other communication avenues for the Guild (such as Facebook, and Instagram). The Communications Chair writes an Annual Report, makes general reports at Board meetings and sees that historical materials relating to GBW Communications are forwarded to the Corporation’s archives in Iowa City.

The Newsletter Standing Committee Chair is responsible for editing six bimonthly issues of the GBW newsletter each fiscal year, beginning with the August issue. The Newsletter Chair oversees a committee that gathers and writes columns or calendars of activities related to the mission of the Guild. This may include: information about and registration forms for the Standards Seminar; members exhibitions information; GBW election information and ballots; annual reports of the Board of Directors; reports of Standards seminars; reviews of recent publications; new sources of supplies and book related meetings and workshops. The committee also collects ads from book related vendors. The Newsletter Chair manages the work of the production editor, a paid contractor who bills for services below the market rate. The Newsletter Chair writes an Annual Report, prepares a budget, makes general reports at Board meetings and sees that historical materials relating to the GBW newsletter are forwarded to the Corporation’s archives in Iowa City.

The Journal Chair serves as editor of the annual GBW Journal and is responsible for coordinating the committee that oversees publication of the journal. The committee includes an editorial board that assists in directing the editorial content of the Journal and reviews all solicited and unsolicited submissions; a production team that prepares the final content and digital files for the printer; and an outreach team that works on advertising and the GBW blog. The Journal Chair oversees all aspects and operations of publication, including setting each issue's direction and soliciting manuscripts in consultation with the editorial board; managing the peer review process by which editorial board members review and make publication recommendations on all solicited and unsolicited manuscripts; supervising the production process, including editing and proofreading files at all stages in tandem with the production team and communicating with the printer; promotion of the journal to nonmembers as a way of raising the Guild's profile; seeking new sales and advertising opportunities as a way of increasing revenue; and preparing annual budgets and reports for the Board of Directors. At this time the Journal Chair is also involved in generating content for the Guild's Blog and maintains a list of promotion contacts for use by the entire Board.